It’s picnic season: Time to pack delicious dishes for outdoor concerts in the park. Here are some pointers for putting together a great meal, plus a special sandwich recipe suited for an occasion that is also a bit special.
Picnic planner
Containers: Parchment and twine, lightweight serving bowls and baking dishes and tins are environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic wrap and throwaway containers. They look nicer too.
Menu: Choose dishes that travel well, can be made mostly in advance, are served at room temperature, and don’t involve lots of sauces or other ingredients that will make the fare soggy. Avoid foods that require cutting; opt for those that need only a fork, or better yet, can be held in hand.
Appetizers: Assemble portable servings of bite-size snacks, such as bags of pistachios, to offer people as they arrive. Nuts are a healthy alternative to potato chips and less likely to be crushed.
Main dishes: Choose a hardy bread, such as a baguette, for sandwiches. Making open-faced sandwiches, such as the beef ones here, keeps the bread-to-filling ratio balanced.
Salads: In place of lettuce-based salads which tend to fade in the heat, serve ones built on sturdy sliced vegetables or grains.
Prep work: Do all the cutting at home. Don’t plan on chopping things at the picnic.
Tableware: Forgo disposable goods when possible and use lightweight, break-resistant plates, cutlery and glasses. Enamelware dishes, a camping favorite, are sturdy but not heavy.
Packing: Use two big canvas bags, one for room-temperature food and an insulated one for anything that needs to stay chilled. After you pack a layer of food in the bottom of a bag, place a small cutting board over it. Then add another layer of food. The board will act as a shelf and prevent the food from toppling over.
Extras: Bring a cutting board to use as a makeshift table for serving food and drinks. Also include napkins (cloth if possible), tea towels (to use as an added layer around packed foods or as place mats), salt and pepper shakers, and serving utensils. Don’t forget a large tablecloth or sheet to use as your “table.”
Beef tenderloin sandwiches with herb mayonnaise
Beef tenderloin or beef eye of round
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 center-cut beef tenderloin (2 pounds), trimmed of excess fat, tied
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
8 to 10 cloves Roasted Garlic (recipe follows)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh marjoram
1baguette, halved horizontally and cut crosswise into 3 pieces
2 cups watercress, preferably baby
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Generously season beef with salt and pepper. Add to skillet, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer skillet to oven.
Roast until beef registers 130 degrees for medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes. Let beef stand for 20 minutes. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Meanwhile, mash garlic with a fork in a small bowl. Stir in mayonnaise, lemon juice, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. The mayonnaise can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Spread 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise onto each bread slice. Top with beef. Just before serving, add watercress. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 6 servings.
Roasted garlic
1 head garlic, papery outer skins discarded, 1/4 inch cut off top
1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place garlic on parchment-lined foil, drizzle with oil, and wrap. Roast until golden and soft, about 1 hour. Unwrap; let cool for 10 minutes. Squeeze cloves from peels.
Address questions to Ask Martha, care of Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 601 W. 26th St., Ninth floor, New York, NY 10001. Send e-mail to mslletters@marthastewart.com.
&Copy; 2010 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
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